banjo48

Used to go with dad to some airfield to practice driving while I was 16 ! When I turned 17 I had my test booked for 5 days after my 17 birthday, I then panicked thinking of taking it in dads old Bradford Jowet. I rang up the driving schools and BSM on mansfield road were the only lot willing to take me on for a crash course of 6 lessons ! My first lesson was a make it or break it, as they said if the instructor thought I wasn't ready then the deal was off. Took the time off work and arrived at the office 9-00am and the bloke was a real nice fella, put me at ease straight away, then headed m

My older brother was a Teddy boy ! he had the dark swarthy good looks, (I took after me dad) I went through my teen years with him and his mates hanging round the house and motorbikes, which I loved really. One of them was a real nice bloke and had a beut Velocette, with fishtail exhaust, all black and chrome. And he took me on the pillion if I asked him. Some how though I tended to be a mod and maybe it was my school mates as we all tended to become Scooter boys in our parka's. Never had any problems with the "Greasers" as we called em, probably because big bro was quite a well known char

Thanks for explaining Pixie, thought it may be similar to the Nexpresso range, mine is a DeLongi machine, pods are not cheap around 60c (90p) each here. But if we buy so many the postage is free. Good coffee though ! I am a typical pom though and love my tea too ! I drink far too much during the day (teas & coffee that is)!

Ok I'll bite, whats a Tassimo ? Is it like an Nexpresso machine ? daughters bought me one of those or my last birthday, and love it !

Very frustrating for me, as all my old scooter photo's, and many others are in a big box at my eldest sons place in Nottm. When mum passed on I flew over to clear out her house and we parcelled up all personal items, photo's etc. for my son to freight out to me. But like most things I ask my lad to do, they never seem priority to him, so are still in his upstairs back room. Will give him another gentle reminder !

RGR Like the original photo of you with the SS180, especially the shopping bag on the rear! and the small suitcase on the front ! Lol! Did you have a female in tow by any chance ?

Its very strange but even though we have great salt water action here I really miss my UK freshwater fishing ! Nice Carp. Carp is a very dirty word here as they were introduced from europe and have taken over many eastern waterways, If one is caught it has to be killed and non ever returned to the water in an attempt to eradicate them. I hope to fish for some when we go to the Eastern states next year, in the West where I currently am, it is fairly dry and very few if any carp habitats We do have some southern trout rivers though, also Redfin (perch).

Beefsteak Its a Black Jew, go to around 60kg in the warm Northern waters, that one was 28kg. Good eating size, any bigger they get a bit tough. Got a few Giant Threadfin Salmon too, they go around 25-30kg excellent eating fish. The Kimberley region of oz is a magic place to visit, but very remote. One of the still unspoiled wilderness regions left. Hers another one a friend caught.

One more time

Phot didnt come out, only a link ? How do I get the photo to display instead of the link ? And no its not me belly hanging out of me shirt ! its a rod pad for bringing in the bigger one's !

Thought I'd try my new found photo uploading skills. Here's one I caught earlier in our N W Australia. http://i687.photobucket.com/albums/vv233/banjo48/Picture030_zps4fcbaad1.jpg

RGR Tried the plastic seat cover but soon as it gets hot it just sits on the seat underneath and that gets hot again too ! lots of aussies use a sheepskin cover on their bikes as the insulation properties are hard to beat, warm in winter cool in summer etc. The plastic thingy reminds me of a "pacamac" that mum always made me keep in my school bag :-)

Compo I too would go for the 400, I've had the CB250 and as said by Limey, the 400/4 would be my contender too. Thanks for the photo info will do some experimenting.

Compo I used to have a TV175 in the 60's, it had the headlight in the front of the body not up near the bars, virtually the same as the 150 or 200. Brother in law had the SX200, and I previously had the LE150. The old Vespa I had was a PX200 from memory, used to whistle or whine as she was accelerated . RGR Love the photo's, how do you put those up, as a see no links just the photo in the replies ? I got a really good deal on the new one as it is end of year and ex demo, very low klms. Also got a rack and top box thrown in ! and awaiting the flyscreen to come in. Find the black looks go

Ok how does one add a proper photo ?

Here will try a photo

Christmas pressie to ourselves, bought a new Vespa GTS Sport 300ie ! I've got a motorbike but its just too big to take travelling with us, so wifey and I decided to become "mods" again ! Bloody amazing little machine, no gears just twist and go, goes like a bat out of hell compared to the old 60's Lambo ! We must look a right old pair of farts when we go shopping on it ! get lots of glances, don't know whether they are admiring or other :-) Anyone else out there gone back to scooterland ?

Twistgrip M/cs was ran by a bloke across the road from where I used to live in Carlton, he ran it with his son, mainly Kawazaki dealer I think. Had a Fox thingy along the side of his big van. I bought a dirt bike from him once. Right miserable barsteward he was, always moaning about my kids playing in front of his house, or anything else that he decided was wrong in his eyes. I used to park my work van top of my drive on the road, and he even complained about that ! said he couldn't get his big van in and out of his drive when I was parked there.

My elder brother (past now) his favourite do it himself sandwich was, spoon of cold baked beans spread on a slice of bread, crack an egg on top, a little grated cheese and salt and pepper, grill till egg is cooked then add second slice of bread.

Wife and I often have crisp sandwiches for lunch, with a few extra ones scattered on the side. When we first came to oz, remember asking for crisps and getting a blank stare ! Oh you mean potato chips ! weird. And fritters (potato slices fried) are potato cakes ! wife went into a bakery in Melbourne many years ago and asked for half a doz cobs please, what ! was the reply, oh you mean rolls. As its nearly the festive season my good lady spoilt me yesterday and baked some home made sausage rolls, she bought the gourmet butchers cumberland sausage I mentioned earlier, stripped the skins off

Oh my god ! Chicken and mushroom Pukka pie, chips on a tray with mushy peas on top ! loads of salt and vinegar. Makin me mouth water now bu99er ! My wife still makes mushy peas though here in oz, buy the dried peas, soak overnight with a pinch of bicarb, and boil up, beautiful. Down side though they do have a f*rt factor and me being a gassy type of person anyway, say no more!

Banana sandwich dribbled with honey ! Mmmmmm! Childhood favourite and still is.

Just about every sausage in the book available here in oz, and 99% are crap ! sausage rolls are even worse ! Found a gourmet butchers, run by an old pommy bloke and believe it or not he learnt his trade at Pork Farms in Nottm,, he does old english cumberland porkers, and they are good ! Even saw some lamb kofta sausage there other day.

The area I called over the tins, was on woodside road backing onto the tottle brook I think. The other area was up Derby road on Right hand side near Sandy lane, I checked on Google for whereabouts.

I was born on Romily Close in Lenton Abbey, we left when I was 5, to move to Mapperley. Remember playing some where we called "over the tins", think it was a tin fence we used to climb over up near the university grounds now. Also a place we called sandbanks, as it was all sand stone and we used to dig tunnels in it. Somewhere up Derby road I think. We also used to hunt frogs in the woolaton park lake and there was also a military tattoo on woolaton park I remember. My brother, older than me, came home with lots of rifle "blanks" that had been fired. We kept chickens and rabbits for meat a